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Deprecated: Assigning the return value of new by reference is deprecated in /data/12/0/105/8/757171/user/774110/htdocs/blog/wp-includes/theme.php on line 505MS Musings » Blog Archive » Do I Feel Prepared for Anything Life Throws at Me? It Dependsâ€¦

When I was a Cub Scout (no, never graduated to Boy Scouts), we were taught to always be preparedâ€¦ and that sâ€™mores were a recognized food group. Iâ€™ve since regularly packed sâ€™mores-flavored Luna bars for those munchie emergencies and Iâ€™ve tried to be prepared in non-food-related aspects of life as well, but multiple sclerosis has made that a bit more challenging. See, many of us MSers are just accidents waiting to happen. Now one canâ€™t really plan for accidents, um, except for certain particular kinds of accidents. Yeah, that kind. The kind that lends itself to, ahem, disposable undergarments.

So for my 41st birthday I slipped on my first pair of adult diapers. There, I said itâ€”diapers. Ugh. The whole process was a huge mental hurdle to cross. It wasnâ€™t in my grand plan to wear Huggies when I could see my 30s over my shoulder. But after a few close calls (admittedly, really close calls) along with that sickening panic that is difficult to explain to a non MSer, it was unfortunately time. Now I decided that if I was going to commit, it was going to be whole hogâ€”Iâ€™m talkinâ€™ the huge 72-pack of super absorbent Depends from COSTCO. Hell, it took up the whole frigginâ€™ cart, and I was proud, damn it, knowing that I alone could soak up a quarter of that oil in the Gulf. And you know what? It wasnâ€™t the nightmare I feared, it was liberating.

I could go out in public without constantly scanning for bathrooms. That extra drink with dinner? No worries. There are eighty miles until the next rest stop?! Whatever. The best part: the few times in the past nine months Iâ€™ve had to employ Operation Depends (as in â€œIâ€™m Depending on You to Workâ€), they have, and flawlessly. And unless you are wearing a tight dress where even a thong would be noticeable, these puppies are virtually undetectable (and no, they donâ€™t make a crinkly noise when you sit down). I should have added these to my arsenal against MS earlierâ€”it turned out to be no big dealâ€”but then that would have been too darn easyâ€¦ and my ego certainly would not have allowed it.

*Travel tip: use your (clean) disposable clothing to pack around breakables. And added bonus: the longer you travel, the more room you have in your luggage for souvenirs!